Presidential race threatens to turn dirty

The Election Commission has asked the Returning Officer to show the documents on the basis of which the latter rejected P A Sangma's allegation that Pranab Mukherjee used 'forgery' to escape disqualification.

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday asked V K Agnihotri, the Returning Officer for July 19 presidential poll, to show the documents on the basis of which the latter rejected Opposition candidate P A Sangma's allegation that UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee used 'forgery' to escape disqualification.

The poll watchdog's directive to Agnithotri, who is also the secretary general of the Rajya Sabha, approached him for direction on what should he do in face of the Opposition's demand to list the reasons backing his decision to allow Mukherjee to stay in the field.

The direction came amid indications of the race turning acrimonious over the charge of Sangma and his supporters that Mukherjee was ineligible to contest as he did not quit as the director of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, before filing his nomination papers. They have argued that the director of ISI was an office of profit and by holding on to it Mukherjee attracted disqualification.

Agnihotri rejected the argument, but, Sangma and his backers, while sticking to their charge, have demanded that he spell out in detail why he rejected their allegation to allow the UPA nominee to stay in the fray.

Mukherjee and his UPA sponsors were, however, unfazed. They dismissed the charge and pressed ahead with their plans to mobilize support. In an ambitious outreach towards the UPA dissident, Trinamool Congress chief and Bengal CM, who is still refusing to back the coalition nominee, the GoM on media has decided to travel to Kolkata on Thursday. Although the ministerial group has been visiting state capitals, their latest destination has assumed significance because of Banerjee's refusal to fall in line.

HRD minister and one of the members of the ministerial group, Kapil Sibal, is likely to call on Banerjee on Thursday.

BJP raised the ante by alleging that the documents, which Mukherjee cited to claim that he had ceased to be the director of ISI before filing his nomination papers, were forged, and indicated that it was keeping open the option of moving court.

Responding to the BJP's charge, Mukherjee on Wednesday countered in Thiruvananthapuram, "Who had forged my signature? I myself? I do not know what they have said. Who can forge his own signature? How can somebody lodge a complaint that you forged your own signature?"

"All these issues have been represented by my authorized representatives before the returning officer... and the returning officer has responded to that," said Mukherjee, who is in Kerala to canvass support of MLAs and MPs.

Mukherjee's poll managers claimed they have drawn up a strategy to counter "frivolous objections" to his candidature.

Alleging that the resignation letter was prepared at the last minute only to save his nomination, BJP asked Mukherjee and eminent scientist M G K Menon, who is the president of ISI, to come clean on the issue.

Satyapal Jain, head of party's legal cell and Sangma's counsel indicated that party could move court: "All options are open... election petition can be filed after declaration of results. "All options are open... election petition can be filed after the declaration of result... we will cross the bridge after receiving the copy of order on NDA's plea against Mukherjee," he said.

Accusing UPA of "lowering the dignity" of the post of President, Jain said, "election petition is the only remedy once the results are declared".

In Mukherjee's defence, home minister P Chidambaram described as "scandalous" BJP's contention that his resignation letter to the ISI was forged. "It is a scandalous suggestion and I am sure Mr Pranab Mukherjee has taken note of this scandalous statement," he told reporters here.

Congress said BJP should not treat President's post like students' union of a university, terming as "scandalous" the charge that Pranab Mukherjee forged his own signature to resign from the ISI.

AICC spokesman Manish Tewari said, "Sangma and his supporters should seriously think this is not a university students' union election. It is the election for the President of India. They should act as per the dignity of the high office."

Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Bansal rubbished charges that Mukherjee resigned on a "backdate" as an after thought to the objection raised by Sangma. "The moment we told him about the objection, Mukherjee opened a briefcase and handed us a copy of the resignation. BJP's charge is preposterous," he said. He added that Mukherjee has clearances like no-dues from various institutes and ministries in anticipation of objections.